The Office for Foreigners has confirmed that Poland is withdrawing recognition of Russian travel documents that lack biometric features. Diplomatic and service passports were invalidated for Polish border purposes from 1 January 2026, and ordinary non-biometric passports will cease to be accepted on 1 April 2026. The decision has been formally notified to the European Commission under Schengen rules governing document security.
The Interior Ministry argues that non-biometric passports are easier to forge and pose a security risk amid heightened tensions with Moscow. A short transition period has been introduced to allow Russian nationals residing in Poland to obtain biometric replacements and avoid falling out of legal status. After 1 April, travellers presenting an old-style document will be refused entry and could face removal proceedings if already in the country.
![Poland will no longer accept non-biometric Russian passports from 1 April 2026]()
VisaHQ can help both organisations and individual travellers adapt to these new requirements. Through our dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) we provide real-time guidance on acceptable passports, facilitate appointment scheduling, and send deadline reminders so Russian nationals can secure biometric documents well before the April 2026 cutoff.
Corporate mobility teams must verify that any Russian employees, assignees or frequent business visitors carry passports with embedded biometric chips. Carriers that board passengers with invalid documents may incur fines and responsibility for return transport under Poland’s carrier-liability regime. Employers sponsoring residence-permit renewals should anticipate delays if staff need to obtain new passports from Russian consulates.
The policy aligns Poland with Baltic and Nordic states that have already tightened recognition of Russian IDs. Given that the Schengen acquis encourages harmonisation of document standards, other EU members may follow suit. Companies with multi-jurisdictional travel programmes should therefore audit Russian passport compliance across the bloc.
The Interior Ministry argues that non-biometric passports are easier to forge and pose a security risk amid heightened tensions with Moscow. A short transition period has been introduced to allow Russian nationals residing in Poland to obtain biometric replacements and avoid falling out of legal status. After 1 April, travellers presenting an old-style document will be refused entry and could face removal proceedings if already in the country.
VisaHQ can help both organisations and individual travellers adapt to these new requirements. Through our dedicated Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) we provide real-time guidance on acceptable passports, facilitate appointment scheduling, and send deadline reminders so Russian nationals can secure biometric documents well before the April 2026 cutoff.
Corporate mobility teams must verify that any Russian employees, assignees or frequent business visitors carry passports with embedded biometric chips. Carriers that board passengers with invalid documents may incur fines and responsibility for return transport under Poland’s carrier-liability regime. Employers sponsoring residence-permit renewals should anticipate delays if staff need to obtain new passports from Russian consulates.
The policy aligns Poland with Baltic and Nordic states that have already tightened recognition of Russian IDs. Given that the Schengen acquis encourages harmonisation of document standards, other EU members may follow suit. Companies with multi-jurisdictional travel programmes should therefore audit Russian passport compliance across the bloc.
